Humidifier



June 15, 1937.

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` l INVENTOR BefanfLcLFcZ-Cbherv Patented June 15, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT orifice 1?. Claims.

This invention has to do with humidiiiers, the object of the invention being to provide a very simple, inexpensive and eirlcient device readily attachable to the ordinary steam radiators of dwellings, oiiices and other buildings so as to utilize the steam passing through the radiator to operate the device, thereby doing away with the use of motors and other expensive accessories for operating the fan of the device and thus making it very economical `to manufacture, sell and install, and one in which the parts are comparatively simple so that it will not easily get out oi order.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved humidier having a combined fan and turbine for operating the fan and which turbine is operated by the Steam passing through the radiator, whereby the use of any accessory for rotating the fan is eliminated.

In the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification, Fig. 1 illustrates an ordinary steam radiator, for instance, for a dwelling, and having this improved humidifier attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, partly sectional view of the humidier and its attaching means illustrated in Fig. l..

Fig. 3 is a sectional view takeny on line 3--3 of Fig. 2, illustrating the combined fan and turbine, and

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the turbine and its connection.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Before explaining in detail the present improvement and mode of operation thereof, I desire to have it understood that the invention is notlimited to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing since the invention is capable of other embodiments, and that the phraseology which'I employ is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

In the preferred form thereof, this improved humidifier comprises an air and steam mixing chamber 2 having its base provided with air intake holes 3 and this base is in the form of a pan-shaped member 4 suitably secured to the depending walls 5 of the steam and air mixing chamber.

The side wall 6 of this bottom pan, together with the depending wall 5 of the air and steam mixing chamber form a tube or coupling for the attachment of the humidifier to the end 8 of the pipe 9 leading from the radiator I0.

Attached to the upper end cf the air and steam mixing chamber is a shield II loi' directing the mixture into the room 4and this shield, together with the air and steam mixing chamber may be readily turned on the pipe 9 in any suitable direction and away from drapes and curtains in the room, as desired.

Within the air and steam mixing chamber and supported by a suitable bearing I2 formed as a part of the bottom pan, is a rotary shaft or spindle I3 for the combined fan I4 and turbine I5, the spindle having a single point bearing I on the bottom I'I of the bearing to reduce friction.

Carried by this spindle is the fan I4 for rotation with the spindle and having a suitable number of inclined blades I4 and around the ends of the fan blades and shown formed as a part of the fan is the turbine I5 having a series oi' inclined blades I5. Thus, the fan is formed as an annular member surrounded by an annular turbine, the blades of which are located in position to rotate above the outlet 8 of the radiator pipe 9 by the steam ejected from the pipe with which the humidier is connected.

The end 8 of the pipe 9 has an inclined opening I9 to properly direct the steam against the inclined blades of the turbine.

The pipe 9 is provided with the usual air valve ZiI operative when the regulating valve 2| which may be in the form of a needle valve, also carried by the pipe 9 for regulating the steam, is closed.

The pipe may also have a suitable coupling 22 which may be used, if desired, to disconnect the humidifier from the radiator. When this is done, a cap or plug may be used to close the pipe and the radiator then used in the usual manner.

The sides of the air and steam mixing chamber 2 above the fan are sloped inwardly as at 23 to direct properly the passage of the steam exhausted from the blades toward the air from the fan and so insure a proper mixture and above this sloping portion of the chamber a screen 24 of suitable mesh is provided to prevent injury to the blades of the fan by anything falling therein.

In practice, an annular member 25 connects the outer ends of the fan blades with the inner ends of the turbine blades and extends below the blades to overlap a similar member 25 formed as a part of the pan 4 and thus form a steam seal.

From the foregoing it will be observed that when the humidifier is attached to the radiator outlet to which the air valve is ordinarily attached, it may be readily adjusted into any desired position or, if preferred, the shield may be rotated relative to the steam and air mixing chamber 2, and the device is operative by the passage of steam from the radiator into position to rotate the turbine and thereby rotate the fan to draw in air through the openings in the bottom of the device and which air is mixed with the steam in the proper humid condition and passes through and is ejected by the fan from the device into the room.

It is to be understood that, by describing in detail herein any particular form, structure or arrangement, it is not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claims or the requirements of the prior art.

Having thus explained the nature of my said invention and described a way of constructing and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all oi the forms in which it may be made, or all of the modes of its use, I claim:

1. A humidier adapted for attachment to the steam outlet of a radiator and comprising a mixing chamber having an` ingress openings at its bottom and inwardly sloping side walls adjacent to its top, a single point bearing spindle within said chamber, a ian carried by said spindle, and a turbine encircling and connected with said fan, said bottom having means at one side thereof for attachment to the outlet pipe of a radiator, said outlet having an inclined opening for directing steam against the turbine.

2. A humidifier adapted for attachment to the steam outlet of a radiator and comprising a mixing chamber having air ingress openings at its bottom and inwardly sloping side walls adjacent to its tcp, a single point bearing spindle within said chamber, a fan carried by said spindle, a turbine encircling and connected with said fan, said bottom having means at one side there-of for attachment to the outlet pipe of a radiator, said outlet having an inclined opening for directing steam against the turbine, and a screen at the top of said mixing chamber.

3. A humidifier adapted for attachment to the steam outlet of a radiator and comprising a 5' shiftable and detachable mixing chamber having openings in its bottom for the ingress of air and provided at its top with inwardly sloping walls, a combined ian and turbine, the latter encircling the former axially supported by a single point bearing on the bottom of the mixing chamber and having at one side thereof means for attachment to the pipe of a radiator, said pipe having an inclined outlet located below the turbine blades.

4. A humidifier adapted for attachment to the steam outlet of a radiator and comprising a shiftable and detachable mixing chamber having openings in its bottom for the ingress of air and provided at its top with inwardly sloping walls, a combined fan and turbine, the latter encircling the former axially supported by a single point bearing on the bottom of the mixing chamber and having at one side thereof means for attachment to the pipe of a radiator, said pipe having an inclined outlet located below the turbine blades, and an open sided shield carried by the top of the mixing chamber.

5. A humidier adapted for attachment to the steam outlet of a radiator and comprising a shiftable and detachable mixing chamber having openings in its bottom for the ingress of air and provided at its top with inwardly sloping Walls, a combined fan and turbine, the latter encircling the former axially supported by a single point bearing on the bottom of the mixing chamber and having at one side thereof means for attachment to the pipe of a radiator, said pipe having an inclined outlet located below the turbine blades, and an open sided shield carried by the top of the mixing chamber, the humidier having a part thereof rotatable relative to the PIDE.

6. A humidier adapted for attachment to the steam outlet of a radiator, said humidifier comprising a mixing chamber having an air inlet at its bottom and a steam inlet at one side for attachment to the outlet of a radiator pipe and separated from said air inlet so that the mixture of the air and steam is effected only in the top of the mixing chamber, a combined rotatable fan and turbine located in said mixing chamber below the mixing point and above the air and steam inlets, respectively, with the turbine located in the same horizontal plane as and encircling the fan and extending wholly beyond the outer periphery of the fan and rotated by the steam of the radiator for rotating the ian, whereby the mixture of the steam and air takes place entirely above the fan and turbine thereby eliminating the injection of moisture under the fan.

7. The structure of claim 6 characterized in that said turbine and fan comprises a series of inclined blades.

8. The structure of claim 6 characterized in that said humidier has means for directing the air and steam into the room.

9. The structure of claim 6 characterized in that said humidier has means for directing the mixture into the room said mixing chamber and directing means relatively shiftable.

l0. The structure of claim 6 characterized in that said inlet has an inclined means for directing the steam against the turbine.

11. The structure of claim 6 characterized in that said turbine and fan are connected at their juxtaposed edges and supported axially of the fan.

12. The structure of claim 6 characterized in that said turbine and ian are connected at their juxtaposed edges and supported axially of the fan by a single point bearing in the base.

BERNHARDT COHEN. 

